Your ecommerce marketing strategy has been highly successful, and now you are starting to look at expanding into international markets. Many online stores will reach this point – especially larger stores catering to a wider audience. If you have been aiming to expand your operations to additional countries, there are a number of things that you will need to do first.
Aside from dealing with the legal side of things and the operational elements, you will also need to start planning your marketing strategies as early as possible. Ideally, you should begin marketing before your official launch. In this short guide to global ecommerce marketing, we take a look at some of the most important tips to consider.
Ecommerce Marketing Tips for International Markets
There are many, many stages within any move to a larger market. Expanding your reach globally is not without risk. In most cases, problems arise when the process is rushed or done in a way that does not consider the market and its unique requirements. To ensure that you plan your ecommerce marketing strategies carefully, here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Start small
Rather than planning a full-scale launch with all the bells and whistles, focus on starting small. It is crucial to plan your campaigns carefully. That will involve a great deal of A/B testing, competitor research, and other planning in order to determine the best channels in your target area, as well as opportunities, challenges, and other considerations that could affect your results. Starting small will allow you to grow realistically without taking too many risks that could backfire.
2. Know your audience
It is essential to know your audience. This is important for many reasons. From a strategy point of view, knowing your customer is vital in any country or region. When entering foreign markets, you will need to have deep insight into various other factors, including language, demographics, customs and norms, needs, and other factors that will affect your success. Even something as small as the tone of voice can have more impact than you realise.
3. Think local
Rather than trying to think globally, you will need to think locally. Each country you target will have an entirely different market, along with its own challenges and opportunities. Expecting the UK to have the same requirements as the US, for example, is never a good idea. There are many unique differences in each region – currency, unit, payment preferences, shipping options, time zones, and, as we mentioned above, language. This means tailoring your entire store as well as your marketing campaigns to your market in every way, from your social media campaigns to your product descriptions and landing pages.
Expand Your Reach With Ecommerce Marketing
With sufficient planning, you will find that making the transition to global markets does not have to be as daunting as it seems. The most important thing of all is to have a comprehensive ecommerce marketing strategy in place that helps you grow your reach organically.